5 former Mets players the team gave up on and traded too early in their career

Atlanta Braves v New York Mets
Atlanta Braves v New York Mets / Herb Scharfman/Sports Imagery/GettyImages
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4) NY Mets traded Melvin Mora too early in his career

Melvin Mora never did win an MVP. Trading him away may have somehow still been a bigger blunder. It started in the middle of the 2000 season when the Mets were looking for someone to replace the injured Rey Ordonez at shortstop. Mora started 40 games at the position, but poor defense had the team pivot to the Baltimore Orioles for some help. Mora and three others were sent to the O’s for their impending free agent shortstop, Mike Bordick.

Bordick didn’t end up being the solution the Mets needed. His offensive performance went downhill. He was nothing special on defense either. Mora definitely didn’t belong as a major league shortstop. His inclusion in this deal isn’t any better with that known fact.

Mora had already flamed out as a legitimate prospect by the time he joined the Mets for the 1998 season. His career began way back in 1992 with the Houston Astros. He had a few good years on the farm yet nothing to ever convince Houston he should be fast-tracked to the majors.

His career still managed to extend until 2011. It included nine and a half years with the Orioles where he’d blast 158 home runs while slashing .280/.355/.438. There were definitely ways the Mets could have used Mora in the coming years. They didn’t see enough to hold onto him.